Social Relations And Chronic Pain

"It is more than a matter of curiosity that so many chronic pain suffers experience such a high level of frustration with the medical profession." Building on his 1992 The Social Context of Chronic Pain Suffers, Roy (U. of Manitoba, Winnipeg) exhorts doctors to pay attention to patients as more than carriers of symptoms; consider social environment issues such as family and job loss; and treat them in ways that minimize the typical sense of powerlessness. The final chapter traces a patient's painful journey through the medical system. c. Book News Inc.

A study of the social meanings of the experience of chronic pain. Kotarba uses data from observation, interviews, field research, and conversations, to show how pain becomes the focal point of the sufferers world. He reviews the medical perspectives and shows how pain affects relationships with family and with doctors. He also charts the general pattern of seeking help outside traditional medicine, and the search to find some reason or significance for the misfortune.

Chronic pain affects every facet of a patient’s life, and nowhere is this more evident than in the complex arena of family life. Chronic Pain and Family: a Clinical Perspective examines typical family issues associated with prolonged illness, offering realistic ways to approach them in therapy. Informed by current practice and his own experience, noted author/clinician Ranjan Roy brings fresh insights to common pain scenarios and therapeutic impasses, and provides a framework for assessing marital and family relationships when chronic pain is a defining factor. Clinicians will get not only a clearer understanding of sensitive issues, but also effective strategies for engaging clients without turning them off. Coverage includes: - Meanings of pain in relationships - "Who Does What?": exploring changes in family roles - Resistance to treatment: why it occurs and how to work through it - Health concerns and other burdens on well spouses and children - Sexuality, domestic abuse, and other "silent" issues - Case examples demonstrating therapy step-by-step with a range of couples and families For therapists and social workers who deal with this growing population of patients, Chronic Pain and Family: A Clinical Perspective stands at a unique intersection of pain/disability and family resources. Roy’s recognition of the family’s changing demographics together with his synthesis of clinical knowledge make the book suitable for graduate-level courses as well.

"Social pain is the experience of pain as a result of interpersonal rejection or loss, such as rejection from a social group, bullying, or the loss of a loved one. Research now shows that social pain results from the activation of certain components in physical pain systems. Although social, clinical, health, and developmental psychologists have each explored aspects of social pain, recent work from the neurosciences provides a coherent, unifying framework for integrative research. This edited volume provides the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary exploration of social pain. Part I examines the subject from a neuroscience perspective, outlining the evolutionary basis of social pain and tracing the genetic, neurological, and physiological underpinnings of the phenomenon. Part II explores the implications of social pain for functioning in interpersonal relationships; contributions examine the influence of painkillers on social emotions, the ability to relive past social hurts, and the relation of social pain to experiences of intimacy. Part III examines social pain from a biopsychosocial perspective in its consideration of the health implications of social pain, outlining the role of stress in social pain and the potential long-term health consequences of bullying. The book concludes with an integrative review of these diverse perspectives"--Publicity materials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

Motivational Perspectives on Chronic Pain is one of the first volumes to present a cohesive account of the adaptation to chronic pain from a motivational perspective. Contributing authors from diverse areas of pain research offer comprehensive summaries of the concepts, findings, and applied methodologies that converge on the role of goals and goal-related cognitive processes, self-regulatory support mechanisms, contextual forces, and emotionality as they influence (and are influenced by) the experience of chronic pain. This volume provides readers with an up-to-date compendium of cutting-edge research and interventions that collectively illustrate the utility of viewing chronic pain neither as a "disease" nor an imposed lifestyle, but as the emergent and potentially flexible product of a complex transactional system that is bounded by both sociocultural factors and by biogenetic and neural moderating forces. Within its pages, chapters capture the vibrancy of current theory, research, and practice while pointing toward unexplored new directions. Among the important topics addressed by this distinguished group of authors include: the nature and relevance of control systems, the role of neural mechanisms on pain processing, the influence positive and negative emotion regulation play on pain management, the impact of learning and conditioning, and the often neglected influence of interpersonal processes on adjustment to chronic pain.

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.

Painâ€"it is the most common complaint presented to physicians. Yet pain is subjectiveâ€"it cannot be measured directly and is difficult to validate. Evaluating claims based on pain poses major problems for the Social Security Administration (SSA) and other disability insurers. This volume covers the epidemiology and physiology of pain; psychosocial contributions to pain and illness behavior; promising ways of assessing and measuring chronic pain and dysfunction; clinical aspects of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation; and how the SSA's benefit structure and administrative procedures may affect pain complaints.

The struggle to maintain joy & a fulfilling relationship while coping with chronic illness and pain is a serious problem for millions of people today. Australian entrepreneur and health professional Karra Eloff draws on academic research and her own pursuit of joy in spite of suffering to bring this trailblazing, compassionate, low-energy and practical path to a remarkable new normal, for you and your chosen human/partner. On average, one in five adults suffer from chronic pain. In older people, the number rises to three in five. Most of these people don’t realise they don’t have to settle for a survival-based coexistence with their partner or bury their hopes for success and joy under a mountain of heat packs or duvets. Chronic illness or pain, according to Karra, need not hold you back from experiencing personal joy and success. It is possible to forge a path to remarkable—to move the dial of a relationship challenged with chronic pain from embattled and exhausted to joyful and passion-filled. This is possible through small, practical changes that require little energy but make a big impact in the areas of: • Communication • Mental health • Intimacy • Personal Success If you experience chronic pain or love someone with a chronic illness this book is for you. If you are a health professional seeking practical advice for people with chronic pain, this book is for you.